Manchester by the Sea

1/05/17

A man (Casey Affleck) crushed by tragedy returns to his
hometown on the coast of Massachusetts to become the guardian of his teenage
nephew (Lucas Hedges) in a gently paced and emotionally wrenching drama from
writer-director Kenneth Lonergan ("You Can Count on Me"). Flawless
performances, a revelatory flashback structure, and a picturesque natural
backdrop buoy the carefully manicured yet naturalistic portrait of a shattered
individual who cannot forgive himself for one grave mistake. Eventually, the
dramatic urgency of the story wanes and the protagonist's struggle to recover
leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste; the movie's profanity and frank treatment
of teenage sexuality are hurdles from the get-go.